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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22784116">the prop closet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalwierdo/pseuds/generalwierdo'>generalwierdo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confined Spaces, Cute, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Mutual Pining, Tiny bits of Angst, Virgil has Anxiety, both are very clueless, but if he didn't, fluffiest fluff, if you know what i mean, just. kiss. already., patton ruins the MOOD!, soft bois, this may have become a very different fic, wow ignore that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 16:40:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22784116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalwierdo/pseuds/generalwierdo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Roman and Virgil get locked in the prop closet. Chaos and feelings ensue</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Prinxiety</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the prop closet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/14720298">Kiss me?</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadWizardJessi/pseuds/SadWizardJessi">SadWizardJessi</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>tw: some swearing, claustrophobia, mild panic attack</p><p>basically everything I write for SS will now be inspired by the fic "Kiss Me?" , i love it SO SO much!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Virgil walked into the theatre and breathed, in and out. Despite this being his roommate Roman’s territory, the smell of sweat and musty costumes and something that could never be placed always made him feel at home. So when he found out that his ticket was canceled for his train home this weekend, he really needed to just sit in the theatre and have his little freakout.</p><p>He walked down the aisles, and up onto the stage. Virgil avoided the bright lights, looking back into the backstage area instead of out to the rows that were usually filled with people. He wasn’t an actor, not like Roman. He was a techie, if even. He lived for the backstage area, was at home in this theatre.</p><p>That was actually how he and Roman had bonded at first. When Virgil had moved his things from a dorm room to an apartment with his classmate Logan and his two friends, he had felt so out of place. Sure he and Logan were friends, they had sat next to each other all year, but his roommates Patton and Roman were different stories. Patton was all sunshine and rainbows, the college student equivalent of a dad, the kind of guy who always reminded you when you had class at 8 am and lived for family dinners. Virgil had just let him do his thing while trying to help out around the apartment as he could. But Roman had been a different story.</p><p>Roman was the polar opposite of Virgil. No study bonds like he had with Logan, and no desire to do things quietly like with him and Patton. Instead, the brown-haired boy lived for the bright and loud, the parties and especially the stage. Which had become their one link; their shared love of that stage. Different capacities of course, but the same adoration underneath. This is why when Virgil saw Roman sitting backstage with his laptop and earbuds in, he was only slightly surprised.</p><p>Virgil debated whether to call out or say hi to his roommate. But then he realized that Roman probably wanted his alone time and that he should just go. But unfortunately, Roman chose that moment to look up and yawn, and the two boys’ eyes met.</p><p>Roman fumbled with his laptop, apparently pausing his music while Virgil just looked on in awkwardness.</p><p>”Oh, hello Virgil!” Roman called out, shutting his laptop screen and flashing Virgil one of his trademark smiles. “What’s up?”</p><p>Virgil shrugged, already regretting this. “Oh, nothing. Just chilling. I can go,” he pointed to the door, already backing up. “I don’t want to interrupt your...whatever you’re doing.”</p><p>Roman’s cheeks flushed pink for half a second, and Virgil wondered why. Maybe he was under an air vent or something? But before he could leave quickly, Roman’s voice stopped him in his tracks.</p><p>”You can stay if you want to.”</p><p>Virgil turned around to look at Roman. He was giving Virgil his trademark half-smile, and Virgil felt like he was about to melt into a puddle. Roman had stood up, and was now walking towards Virgil, that half-smile still on his face. “I was just about to look for something in the prop closet and then leave, so the place is all yours.”</p><p>The gears in Virgil’s head started turning, and he tried not to smile. “Yeah, ok.”</p><p>Then he walked up to Roman, getting closer and closer, before moving quickly out of his way to walk past him and set his bag onto the desk. He turned to see Roman shaking his head slightly, a rueful smile on his lips. Virgil let himself wonder for one, two, three seconds what it would be like to kiss those lips, to have Roman pressed up against him, and then he quickly stopped the fantasy, trying not to blush.</p><p>By that point, Roman had turned away and was heading over to the gigantic walk-in prop closet that was theatre nirvana. From that closet, you could put on any show from Cats to Chicago, from Heathers to Hamilton. Virgil had the idea to try to scare Roman in it, just for a bit of fun, and he quickly followed the man into the closet. Roman had already disappeared into one of the racks of clothing, so Virgil quickly grabbed a black serial killer wig, and put on a gigantic pair of sunglasses. He looked at himself in a cracked, dusty mirror and smiled. Perfect for scaring the pants off of his crush. </p><p>
  <em>If only</em>
</p><p>Virgil proceeded down the aisle, listening for Roman’s footsteps, then became confused when he lost them. He turned around, about to head back the other way, and came face to face, or more accurately chest to chest, with Roman. They both shrieked, and Virgil fell back into a clothing rack, knocking his wig and sunglasses off, while Roman fell onto the door. It slammed closed with a definite click, and the two boys looked up at each other.</p><p>”Virgil!” Roman exclaimed, hopping up. Virgil tensed, worried he was about to shout at him for <em>just locking them in the prop closet holy shit</em>, but instead he just hurried over to Virgil with concern in his eyes. “Are you alright? Do you need a band-aid? How many fingers am I holding up? Roman thrust three fingers in front of Virgil’s face and Virgil just sighed.</p><p>He grabbed those outstretched fingers and used them to pull himself up. Roman got the memo, and gripped Virgil’s hand, surprising the boy so much that he almost fell right into Roman. Almost. But they were face to face once more, and Virgil just really wanted to kiss the ever-loving crap out of him. They were so close, close enough that if Virgil just tilting his head or ROman leaned forward a millimeter...</p><p>Virgil realized that he was still gripping onto Roman's hand, and quickly let go. He was probably cutting off the blood flow in his hand or something. Roman looked down at his hand, a flicker of something like...disappointment? crossing his face. Virgil took one step, two, away from Roman because he honestly didn't know if he could function with his body still flush to Romans. Roman looked at him with an indecipherable stare, and Virgil blushed under the intensity of it.</p><p>"What?" he half-laughed, trying to diffuse some of the tension. Then, he remembered that he had just <em>locked them in the fucking prop closet</em> and ran to the door, examining it. But this side of the door had no knob, and thus there was no escape. "Roman, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to lock us in here, and now we're going to be stuck in here forever holy shit." Virgil sank to the floor, pressed up against the door. He could feel an attack coming on and he did <strong>not</strong> want Roman to be here for it but he fricking trapped them in a prop closet so he had to feel Roman's eyes on him probably wondering why Virgil was so weird, why he was shaking and why he couldn't just be normal and oh.</p><p>Roman had lowered himself to Virgil's level and was looking at him with concern. "Virgil? Virgil, look at me please." Virgil hesitantly lifted his eyes to meet Romans, seeing the worry that probably reflected his own. He suddenly realized what a complete idiot he must look like, and started to involuntarily shake again. "Hey, hey," Roman said, lifting his chin so that their eyes met. "I'm not mad Virgil, I'm not mad. I can text Patton and he'll be here in five seconds with a key. We're going to be fine. I'm just worried about <em>you</em>." </p><p>And maybe it was the way he said it or the caring look in his eyes, but something in him loosened, and Virgil could feel himself start to breathe normally again. He looked at Roman and gave him a weak smile. </p><p>"Thanks, Ro," he said slowly, unclenching his fists and sitting up a little straighter (haha). Roman just look relieved, and reached out, almost like he was about to hug Virgil. But then he froze and retreated his arms. Virgil could've spent hours deciphering this one motion, but right now, he just wanted Roman to freaking hug him. And so he reached out and wrapped his arms around Roman, hugging him tightly. Roman leaned into the hug, and they held onto each other for more moments that were probably necessary.</p><p>Virgil could feel his heart about to beat out of his chest and wondered if Roman was feeling the same. Probably not, after all, there was no way Roman liked him in the way that Virgil did, but still... They pulled out of the hug, and Virgil stood back up, brushing off some imaginary dirt and looking around the closet. It was a fairly large prop closet by any means, about the size of a dorm room. But since it was stuffed with clothing racks, shelves, and random props galore, the only spaces to stand in were the area by the door, and in between the clothing racks. It was enough to cause Virgil's claustrophobia to flare up a bit, but not so small that he was having a full-out panic attack. So, he decided to walk around a bit while he waited for Patton to arrive with the key and let him and Roman out. He started for a row that looked like it held the costumes for either Seussical or maybe Cats. Then, he heard Roman exclaim from behind him.</p><p>"Hey!" Virgil whirled around and was face to face with Roman once more. He looked up into the boys' eyes and realized how tall Roman actually was. He had at least four inches on Virgil, probably more, and Virgil had to physically tilt his head up to meet his eyes. Roman's eyes were brown, but they weren't the color of chocolate, or caramel, or any kind of food. They were the brown of your best friend's hair, the brown of your grandparent's old desk. They were a color that held memories and time, the brown of that secret journal that you were always searching for as a kid. Roman's eyes were as extraordinary as him.</p><p>Then, his eyes fell, and Virgil was looking at the top of his head. ROman was looking down at the ground, shuffling his feet and hunched over in such a way that Virgil knew he was hiding something. </p><p>"Hey, hey Ro," he asked, trying to lighten the mood. "You good?"</p><p>ROman looked back up at him and gave him a weak smile. Virgil knew that smile, it was the smile that you gave to your mom when you just failed a test. The smile of hiding something, confirming Virgil's suspicions. Just as Virgil was about to open his mouth and ask Roman what the heckity heck was going on, Roman stepped back and answered that question for him.</p><p>"Virgil, I have something I need to tell you, and I know that this is probably the worst time to do it but I need to get it off my chest before I literally explode." he chuckled and went over to lean on the door. Virgil looked at him, a question in his eyes.</p><p>"What's up?" he asked, trying desperately to sound cool, or at least something along those lines.</p><p>Roman looked back at him and slowly exhaled. "I like you." he blurted out. "I've liked you ever since Logan brought you into our apartment and announced that you were going to be our new roommate. I've liked you since you agreed to watch all of the seasons of AHS with me to prep for <em>1984, </em>even though you were terrified, and just deflected it by pointing out the bad effects. I've liked you since you stopped the techies from pouring a gallon of paint onto me for a scene in their scene decider last month, even though it was their choice. I've liked you for so long, and for more reasons than I can count. And I know that this timing sucks and that you probably don't even like me back, but I just had to say it."</p><p>Virgil looked at Roman in amazement. Then, without thinking, he crossed over the closet to Roman, and kissed him, pressing him up against the door. He pulled back and looked at Roman with a smile. The other boy looked back at him in surprise.</p><p>"Wait, Virgil are you sure, you just had a panic attack and-" Virgil cut him off with another kiss.</p><p>"I like you too, dumbass. And I don't have a big speech and you're making me look bad, so please just shut up and kiss me, ok?" </p><p>Roman finally seemed to realize his words, and gave Virgil a real smile. His smile. He leaned down and trapped Virgil in another electrifying kiss, one that shook Virgil down to his toes. Roman reached out and held onto Virgil's back, pressing the smaller boy against himself. Virgil responded by tangling one hand in his hair and pressing up against Roman's cheek. They made out for a few minutes, each wanting to get closer to the other, to finally act on all those pent up feelings that they had been storing inside for too long. </p><p>Virgil could do this for forever, just he and Roman making out, with his tongue doing <em>that </em>and his hands traveling up and down his back, but apparently, the universe was not on his side, because a series of hurried knocks banged against the prop closet door, knocks that could only belong to Patton.</p><p>"Hey! Roman, Virgil! Are you guys ok in there?" Patton called out. Virgil pulled away slightly to call back: "Yeah, we're fine Patton!", then immediately pressing his lips up against Romans once more. Roman let out a little grunt, and Virgil felt like if he was going to die right now, then he will have lived a long and fulfilling life. But then Patton pulled the door open, and he and Roman fell out of the prop closet, him on top of the taller boy, their bodies still intertwined. Virgil quickly climbed off of Roman, and they both looked up at Patton, blushes crossing their face. Patton looked stunned for a moment, but then a smile crept onto his face.</p><p>"Finally! Now Logan owes me ten bucks." he smiled. "Sorry to disturb your makeout session, but I think Logan's kind of worried, surprisingly. Do you want to come home, or should I just tell him that you guys are fine?"</p><p>Virgil blushed redder than Roman's hoodie, and sat up to look at Patton, Roman quickly following.</p><p>"Um, let's all go home. I want to try to finish up my paper for my psych class." Virgil responded quickly, shooting a look over to Roman. He, if possible, was blushing even more than Roman, and Virgil almost laughed. God, he was so cute.</p><p>"Sounds good to me." Roman stood up and pulled Virgil up. The two boys exchanged another glance and looked back at Patton, who looked like a kid at the county fair.</p><p>"Ok then, let's scoot." Patton walked down the stairs, and Roman and Virgil followed him. Virgil reached out, and tentatively grabbed ROman's hand, giving him another look. Roman smiled and squeezed his hand. </p><p>Axnd so they walked, hand in hand out of the theatre. Not necessarily different people, but now people who would always blushed whenever they came within ten feet of that prop closet.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>storytime! So basically I've found a bunch of really cute makeout fics, and just adorable anxiety works, and then I found the ShutUpandKissMe collection and fell in LOVE. I knew I had to try my best to post something for it, so I present this fic!<br/>For my recurring readers, I'm working my hardest on updating my current SS, AM, and HSMTMTS fics, but rn I'm just trying to work on what I'm passionate abt, such as this fic! Sorry for delays, but I'm trying to do some self care lol</p><p>Come rant at me on<br/>Tumblr: bisexualpicklewierdo<br/>Twitter: Picklewierdo</p></blockquote></div></div>
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